Yahoo Autos When Volvo Went Crazy With Its Wagons
In the early 1990s, Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) was busy putting a Group C car on the road (the Jaguar XJR-15), running Holden touring cars in Australia and getting into Formula 1 through Benetton, pushing Michael Schumacher towards his first world title. But when the stars aligned above Gothenburg, Sweden, TWR got back into the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) for the 1994 season, campaigning the Volvo 850 Estate.
Using the wagon meant more glass and metal on a longer wheelbase than an 850 sedan, but the Volvo's low center of gravity and mighty five-cylinder engine made up for any lost agility. And while people thought Volvo raced a wagon for aerodynamic benefits, the reality was that it was a PR decision aimed at ramping up T-5 sales. In hindsight, we would like to thank Volvo's PR team for all this:
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During its debut (and only) season, the 850 wagon's best results were 3rd in qualifying, and 5th in a race. Volvo finished 8th overall in the 1994 championship, beating only Nissan and Alfa Romeo.
For the following season, rules changes regarding aerodynamic aids meant TWR was forced to go conservative, using a sedan body instead. But the lessons learned from Rickard Rydell's and Jan Lammers' wagon bashing didn't go to waste, as Volvo ended both the 1995 and 1996 BTCC seasons in 3rd place.
Today, few remember the more successful 850 sedans; if you hear "Volvo" and "BTCC" in the same sentence, it's got to be the Estate.
If you can’t view the YouTube video above, please click here.
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